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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — to fit
  4. board — to get on
  5. capital — a city
  6. suit — clothes
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. season — in sport
  9. mate — to breed
  10. capital — money
  11. season — of the year
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rest — what's left
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rest — what's left
  19. firm — steady
  20. mate — a partner
  21. board — a committee
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rest — a break
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com